When most of us think of pork ribs, we think of a grilled and sauced barbeque dish.
But believe it or not, France, one of the world’s top gastronomic regions, has a more culinary take on this earthy, down-home ingredient. This is a dish from Burgundy that is so easy, it hardly requires a recipe, but here is one anyway.
INGREDIENTS
1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless country-style pork spareribs
salt and pepper
grated zest of 1 lemon
chopped fresh herbs - about 1/3 cup total. I used rosemary, thyme, sage and mint
Ditalini, or any small pasta shape
4 tablespoons butter (or chicken stock)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 400°. Cut the spareribs into bite-size pieces, trimming away excess fat if you wish. Put them in a shallow oven pan large enough to hold them in a single layer, on rack.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
While the rib pieces are roasting, chop the herbs fine. You can use your choice of herbs, to taste - I like two parts fresh thyme to one part each sage, rosemary and mint.
Remove the foil from the meat, and season the ribs with salt, pepper, the lemon zest and about half of the herb mixture.
While the pork is cooking, start to prepare your pasta according to the package directions. Reduce the oven to 375° and roast uncovered for another 30 to 45 minutes, turning the meat occasionally, until it’s crisp and browned.
Sprinkle with the rest of the herbs.
Remove the pork from the pan, with the rack, and add the butter or stock to the pan, adding to the pork juices. Do this while the pan is still hot.
Serve the pork over the pasta, and drizzle the pan sauce over both.
You’ll want to pair this with a bolder, fruitier wine, perhaps from Burgundy, like this dish.
Try the Domaine Julie Belland Santenay Charmes Rouge. It’s a medium bodied Pinot (which I’m rarely a big fan of) but it still has pretty bold flavors and goes very well with the pork.
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